Vokaritás

Vokaritás is a linguistic term used to describe the degree to which a speech segment exhibits vowel-like qualities. In phonetics and phonology it is treated as a continuum rather than a strict vowel–consonant dichotomy, capturing segments that are not fully vowels but show prominent vocalic properties.

The concept covers a range of segments, including syllabic consonants, glide-like consonants, and reduced vowels, as well as vowels with atypical articulations. It is particularly useful in the analysis of languages with flexible syllable structures, where consonants can function as syllable nuclei or approach vowel-status in context.

Acoustic correlates of vokaritás include formant patterns typical of vowels, such as F1 and F2, as well as spectral tilt and periodicity. In practice, vokaritás is inferred from multiple cues, combining articulatory description with acoustic measurements rather than relying on a single parameter.

Applications include studies of syllable structure, vowel harmony interactions, and phonotactics in languages that feature syllabic consonants or vowel-like segments. The notion provides a common framework for cross-linguistic comparisons of how languages deploy vocalic resources beyond a strict vowel inventory.

Etymology and usage notes: the term derives from vocal-related roots and a suffix indicating a quality or degree. In some linguistic traditions vokaritás is discussed alongside concepts such as vowel quality, vocalic strength, or sonority, with varying emphasis across languages and scholarly approaches.